Surgical instrument for intradermal injection of fluids



June 24, 1958 N. ROBBINS 2,840,076

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR INTRADERMAL INJECTION OF FLUIDS Filed Aug. so,1956 INVENTOR /Vo 4 9055 //V5 ATTORNEY SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FORINTRADERMAL INJECTION OF FLUIDS Noel Robbins, Chatham, N. J. ApplicationAugust 30, 1956, Serial .No. 607,032

2 Claims. (Cl. 128- -253) This invention relates to a surgicalinstrument for subcutaneous injection of liquefied pigments, medicinalsolutions and other cosmetic or therapeutic materials used in treatmentof skin discoloration of birth marks, burns, frost bites, skin graftsand blemishes caused by a disease or otherwise.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a novelsurgical device of the character described which provides the means forcontrolling the depth of application of solutions, and especially themeans for a rapid varying of the depth of application, in additionproviding the means for a more secure and comfortable finger grip by theoperator and also for providing for an efiicient cleaning andsterilization of the instrument.

The present invention aims to provide an improved device for controllingthe depth of application of the liquefied material.

Another object of this invention is to provide the means for rapidlyvarying the depth of application during the operation without thenecessity of stopping the motor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device with animproved finger grip for the surgeon.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a device whichmay be efiiciently and rapidly cleaned and sterilized.

In accordance with the invention, a surgical instrument is provided inwhich the finger piece is arranged for radial or longitudinal adjustmentand may be immediately locked into any radial or axial position by alocking screw. The construction in accordance with the invention isadvantageous in that the adjustment may be easily and simply made by onehand of the surgeon while the instrument is in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedescription and from the accompanying drawings which show, by way ofexample, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a surgical instrument in accordance with theinvention.

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure l with the reciprocatingmechanism shown in dotted lines and with the barrel in section.

Figure 3 is a view of the finger piece in accordance with the inventionremoved from the handpiece.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the finger piece.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a surgicalinstrument or skin injector 1 in accordance with the invention, andincluding a handpiece or housing body 2 with a connector 3 having abushing 4 to receive a conventional flexible power cable. The housing 2terminates in a barrel 6 with a smooth outer surface. A chuck 7 projectsthrough the barrel 6 to receive a conventional assembly of needles 8.Within the housing or body 2 is I a reciprocating mechanism 9 wherebythe rotary motion supplied by the flexible cable. 5 is converted intoreciprocatory motion for the back-and-forth movement of the 2,840,076Patented June 24, 1 958 needles 8. The invention so far described hasbeen heretofore used in an instrument of this type.

In-accorda-nce withzthe invention, improved meansare .providediforadjusting a finger piece 10 secured inposition over :the barrel '6. Itis very important that an ad- 'justment'be quickly and easily madeduring-the course of and 'with'its'inner end 12inabutmentagaiinst acollar .13 of the body .1, the'maximum desiredlength of the needles 8will project outwardly.

:Inorder recover '-.the reciprocating chuck '7, a sheath extension 14 isprovided at one end of the finger piece 10. The sheath 14 is made withan opening 15 at its end, the opening formed with a cross-sectionalshape to conform to the configuration of the brush assembly 8. In somecases it may be preferable to make the opening secured to fit a brushassembly having a circular grouped arrangement of the needles. In otherinstances it may be preferable to have the opening 15 rectangular oroval in shape such as, for example, to conform to the cross-sectionalshape of a plurality of needles arranged in a single line. The outersurface of the sheath 14 is flattened as indicated at'16 for bettervisibility and for guidance of the instrument inasmuch as the tip of thesheath is adapted to be rested on the skin.

Adjacent the end 12 of the sheath 10 there is provided a'threadedopening to receive an adjustment screw 18 which may have a knurled orslotted head 19.

In making the instrument ready for an operation, the chuck member 7 isopened to receive a shank 20 of the needle assembly 8. No particularattentionneed be taken as to the radial or axial position of the needleassembly in the chuck 7 as the sheath is placed in position over theneedles and moved radially so that the needle assembly conforms to theshape of the opening in the sheath, and then, while the needles are inreciprocation, the axial adjustment of the sheath is made so that thedesired extension of the needles is made as indicated in Figure l at 21.Obviously, a greater or lesser extension of the needles may be made byvarying the axial position of the sheath along the barrel 6.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference toa specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that otherembodiments may be restored to without departing from theinvention.Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should be consideredas illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A surgical instrument for intradermal injection of fluids comprisinga tubular barrel handpiece having a smooth outer surface, a plurality ofneedles arranged in a row secured in a needle assembly and extendingfrom said barrel, reciprocating means for the needle assembly carried bythe barrel, a generally tubular finger piece overlying the barrel andhaving a smooth inner surface, a sheath extending from one end of thefinger piece and having an elongated opening therein conforming to theshape of the needle assembly, the inner surface of the sheath beingtapered towards its elongated opening, the smooth inner surface of theother end of the finger piece slideably receiving the smooth outersurface of the tubular barrel, and an adjustment screw threadedlyengaged in the fingervpiece releasably locking the finger piece inposition on the barrel and providing the sole means for adjustablysecuring the finger piece in position on the barrel, whereby therotative and axial position of the finger piece may be adjusted withrespect to the barrel tapered inner surface of the sheath cooperatingwith the row of needles to rotatively align the sheath in properposition even while the needles are being reciprocated.

2. "A surgical instrument for intradermal injectionhof fluids comprisinga tubular barrel, a'pluralityr of needles arranged in a row secured in aneedle assembly. and extending from saidbarrel, reciprocating means forthe needle assembly carried by 'the barrel, the barrel having a smoothouter surface, the length of the smooth surface being at least twice asgreat as its diameter, a tubular finger piece having a smooth innersurface overlying the smooth surface of the barrel, a sheath extendingfrom one endof the finger piece and havingan elongated opening' at theend thereof conforming to theccrossr-sectional shape of the needleassembly, the .inner surface of the sheath being tapered towards itselongated opening, and

an adjustment screw releasably locking the finger piece in position onthe barrel and providing the sole meansf or adjustably securing thefinger piece in position on the barrel, whereby the rotative and axialposition of the finger piece may be adjusted with respect to the barrelto vary the effective length of the needle assembly, the tapered innersurface of the sheath cooperating with the row of needles to rotativelyalign the sheath in proper position even while the needles are beingreciprocated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

